Reserve shuttle control for shuttle changing looms



y 1944. A. J. CHEVRETTE v RESERVE SHUTTLE CONTROL FOR S'HUTTLECHANGING LOOMS Filed Nov. 27, 1943 \NvEN TOR Aursusnu ICHav ETT Patented July 4, 1944 RESERVE SHUTTLE CONTROL on SHUTTLE CHANGING LOOMS AugustinJ; Chevrettc, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton at ter, Mass, a corpora Knowles Loom Works, Worcestion of Massachusetts Application November 27, 19.43. Serial No. 511,968 13 Claims. (01.1 9422) This invention relates to improvements in shuttle changing looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for supporting a reserve shuttle as it Y passes from the magazine to the loom lay.

In a form of shuttle changing loom which has gone into extensive use two stacks of reserve shuttles are held in a stationary magazine" so located as to effect transfer of a shuttle from the magazine to the lay when the latter is in its rear position. In this type of loom the shuttles of at least one stack are released and fall by gravity upon a platform fixed to the lay when the latter is in a forward position. Rear'ward movement of the la carries a transferring shuttle boxon the lay to a position under the shuttle softha't it can drop into the box. Thebottom shuttlefof the other or rear stack is always at the transferring level and is pushed forwardly by a plunger or the like alongthe aforesaid platform sotha't it will be in position to drop in the transferring, box when the lay is on back center. 7 The transferring shuttle box is part of a twoe'cell gangof shifting shuttle boxes on the lay under the mag azine and these boxes are normally in tion. I When a transfer is to occur the boxes are raised sothat'the oncoming empty shuttle enters the lower'box and the top box is lifted to a position where it can receive a. reserv shuttle from the platform when the lay reaches back center.

In looms of the aforesaid type the platform has previously been rigidlyattached to the lay.

or has been of such form andinounting that it cannot move downwardly when a shuttle falls on it. As a result of this construction there is some rebounding on the part of the dropping shuttle and time must be allowed forthe shuttle to come to rest at the properlevel for transfer. This time requirement has the effect of causing relatively slow loom speed. p I

It is animportant object of my present invention to provide a reserve shuttle receiving. platform so mounted that it can yield downwardly; under the weight of the falling shuttle and act as a shock absorber to permit the shuttle to come to rest at the proper level for transfer earlier than is possible with the previousl used platforms. Inasmuch as the rebounding is eliminated' it is possible to operate. the loom at ahigher rate of'speed'.

It is necessary incidental to a .changinglopera tion to restore the platform to its raisedposition;

preparatory'to the next transfer operation of the loom. It isaccordingly another object'of my present invention'to provide a-resetting mechadown pos i nism to. lift the platform to its normal position; This mechanism performs its resetting operation afterthe platform has moved to a position behind the shuttleso that the'latter will not be upset or turnedwor otherwise disturbed as it drops into the transfer shuttle .box. As previously stated. the general type of loom to my invention is more generally applicable has a-rear stack'of shuttlesthe lowest .of which is at the tra-nsfe-rring level; In orderto make mypresent invention available for both stacks of 'shuttles'l alter t-heconstruction of. the previously used shuttle magazine sufiicient-ly to permittheimproved yielding platform to becommon'to :both stacks.

With theseand other objects in View which willappear asthe description proceeds, my in- 1 vention reside'sin the combination and arrangement of parts-hereinafter described-and set forth;

in the-accompanying drawing, :wherein a convenient: embodiment of my invention. is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofa shu ttle changing magazine and adjacent part of .the lay together with-the shuttlerelease mechanism and having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a plan-view .ilooking inl the direction. of arrow 2,Fig; 1., J i

Fig; 3 is a detailed-vertical section on line 35-3 err-1g. 1', on an enlarged scale, and 1 Fig. 4 15 an operating view similar to the lower part of Figt 1 and showing. the lay and itsshuttle boxesin two positions. I

7 Referring particularlytoFigl, I have shown amagazine M'which ismounted in fixed position with respect to' the loom frame F. The magazine is provided with front and back stacks of reserve: bobbins Rand R, respectively, each having'its-own release mechanism for the bottom shuttle under controlilof parts not shown in the drawing -but well understood. The front of the magazine is provided with a small-shaft ill" to which is secured a depending supporting finger H normally in position to support the bobbins :in the stack R. v A friction arm l2 :securedtosha-ft lll 'is movable into position for -engagement with the next to the bottom shuttle in the front stack at the time of a shuttle change involving the front stack,- but is ordinarily out of holding position, as shown in Fig. 1. In order to effect-idelivery of the bottom shuttle from the.frontstack the shaft I0 is. rocked in. a clockwise direction as viewed in.Fig. 1 to move the supportingmfinger H forwardly from under. thebottom shuttle in. stack R and at the same arm l2 time move 'thesfriotion .rearwardly to engage the next. to the.

bottom shuttle in stack R to support the superposed shuttles.

Rocking of shaft is effected by means of an arm l3 secured to shaft l0 and connected to a rearwardly extending rod l4 attached to the upper end of an arm l5. The latter is secured to a shaft l6 mounted in a bearing stand l1 secured to and depending from a support l8 rigid with respect to the loom and the magazine. A second arm I9 secured to shaft I6 is connected to a depending actuator rod leading to well-' known control mechanism. Under normal conditions the arms l3 and l5 are in forward position and arm I!) is raised, being held in that position by a spring 2|.

The rear stack R is provided with a similar type of release and includes a second short shaft similar to shaft I0 and mounted on th back of the magazine. Shaft 25 has secured thereto a depending supporting finger 26 for the bottom shuttle of the rear stack R and afriction arm 21 similar to friction arm l2 for engagement with the next, to the bottom-shuttle of the rear'stack during a shuttle change involving stack R. A rearwardly extending arm 28 is secured to shaft 25 and is connected by link 29 toa'lever 30 mounted for oscillation on shaft l5. The rear arm 3| of lever 30 is connected to a second depending rod 32 similar to rod 20 and connected to the aforesaid control, andia spring 33 similar to a spring 2| normally holds arm 3| up.. Ann 28 is normally down and arm 3i up, so that the support finger 26 willloe under the bottom shuttle of rear stack R, but when delivery of a shuttle is called from the rear stack rod- 32 and arm 3| are depressed to raise arm 28 and therebyrock shaft 25 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 to movethesupporting finger 26 rearwardly'frcm under the :bottom shuttle of stack R, and also move the frictionarm 21 against the next to the bottom shuttle in stack R to support thesuperposed shuttles. 1 .1 I

'--Thelay L swings backandforth in.-usual manner and is provided with a gang G of shuttle boxes having top and bottom cells 35- and 36, respectively. The gang G is ordinarily, down so that shuttle box or cell 36 is below the race and cell 35 is-even with the race to receive the shuttle approaching from-the-opposite end of the loom.

The gang Gremains in its down position between transferring operations of the loom, but when a change of shuttles is indicatedithe gang is'raised by a force transmitted throughrod 3lvconnected to the bottom of "the gang. This upward movement of gang G occurs when the lay is in the forward part of its movement andas the lay moves rearwardly a stud 38 on cover 39 for the top cell 35 engages a cam Mlfixed to and depending from the magazine for the'purpose of rocking th cover upwardly about its lay carried pivot 4| as the lay moves rearwardly. The operation of the cam and cover is indicated in Fig. 4 wherein the full lines indicate the normal position of the cover when the gang G is down and. wherein the dotted lines show the effect of engagement between the stud or lug 38 and the cam 40, when gang G is up and the lay is on back center;

EA back stop is provided for the shuttles which drop from the magazine'and is mounted on an arm 46 the upper-end of which is secured as at 41 to a fixed part of the magazine. The back and forth position of the back support is determined by a stop screw 48 in arm positioned to engage the magazine. The gang 'G includes in its construction an upwardly extending abutment or.

shoulder 50 which cooperates with the back stop- 45 to position a shuttle intransfer position.

In the operation of that part of the mechanism thus far described the gang G is normally down and the supporting fingers H and 26 are under their respective stacks R. and R. As the shuttle corresponding to the front stack R indicates weft exhaustion by a weft detector not shown the train of mechanism not shown herein but well understood is caused to rock levers I3 and I5 rearwardly by downward motion of rod 20 to effect release of the bottom shuttle of stack R while the lay is in the forward part of its motion. Similarly, if the shuttle corresponding to stack R indicates exhaustion, the bottom shuttle of the rear stack will be released and it will fall toward transfer position The matter thus far described, except as noted, is of the same general construction as that previously used and shown in several patents among which may be mentioned Nos. 2,054,171, 2,082,919 and 2,103,800 to Turner. The releasing mechanism effected by downward movement of the rods 20 and 32 may be the sameas thatpreviously known, but the release of the shuttles from the rear stack R and thesweep of the lay with respect to the magazine differ somewhat from prior looms.

The yielding platform forming an important part of my present invention is mounted on a support secured at 56 to a shelf 51 on lay end 58; The support, 55 extends rearwardly from thelay and has a depending wing 60 on which is mounted a stud or screw 8| passing through the hub 62 of a yielding platform designated generally at P. This platform comprises right and left hand plat form rails and 66, respectively, as viewed in Fig. 2, connected by a cross bar 61 which in turn is attached by arm 68 to the hub 62. As shown more particularlyin Fig. 3 the stud or screw 6| passes through the wing 60 and hub 62 and sup ports a friction disk 10 between these last named parts which is rendered effective to resist'relae tive movement between the hub 62 and the wing 60 by means of a compression spring I I. An adjusting nut [2 permits variation-of th compression of spring ll to alter the frictional effect which the disk exerts on the parts which it contacts. f Hub 62 has a depending arm 15 to which is at-f tached the lower end of a light tension spring 16 the upper end of which is attached as at 11 to the support 55. The spring 16 and friction device serve normally to hold'theplatform rails 65 and 66 in the raised position" indicated at position I, Fig 1 When a shuttle is "dropped from the'rear stack R. it falls on the raised rails 65 and 66 in front of the stop 45 andby its weight overpowers the spring 16 and the'friction device, thereby lowering the platform to the position shown in Fig; 4 and position 11, Fig. 1. In this position the rails are stopped from further descent by shelf 51 and the shuttle is at the proper level for a shuttle changing'operation; with the forward ends of the rails behind front wall 18 of lay end 58. 'Ihis downward movement of the yielding platform occurs as the lay is moving rearwardly and when it reaches back center position with cover 39 and the box cell 35 raised the latter will be under the rear stack R and the lay will have carried the platform to its rearmost position fromunde'r the shuttle and with the forward ends of the rail-65 and 66 slightly behind the rear wall of the shuttle. The shoulder 50 is against or close to the front wall of the shuttle at this-time and cooperates a'sszmc the stop. :45 .topositlonthe shuttlev S accuraztely so that. it wi-lldrop into the. temporarily raised box. .cell 35; At this same time the exhausited shuttlecorresponding to therear stack R isapproaching the temporarily raised box cell 35. and will" enterthe latter approximately at the followingaibottorm center as the lay moves forwardly. The gangGthereupon descends to carry the newly transferred shuttle. from stack R and inibox'cell .35; down to picking positiomand at the following'top center the. shuttle is picked across the loom. Meantime the depleted shuttle in the bottomcell; 36 is. discharged forwardly in well known manner not indicated herein. v Transfer of :a shuttle from the front stack R is similar to that already described with respect to. the vrearstack, the bottom shuttle of the front stack falling on thefront parts 50f .the platform rails 5 and. to cause the-latter to descend. Asthe lay recedes the rails 65-iand 66 move the shuttle rearwardly, againstsstop 45. and the latter cooperates with shoulde 5.0, .as previously described, to position the shuttle for dropping into box 35-when the layreaches the rear position indicatedin dcttedlinesin Fig. *4. Transfer of the shuttlederived from the front stackR is thus similar to that described previously in connec-, tion with theshuttle derived from stack R. t

.It will be noted from Fig. 1-that the platform rails :35 and. B6 are normally above the center support 5.5 and above. the normal transfer position for the .shuttles;-.As thelatter are released they fall on and .by.;their weight cause down-v ward movementpf the "rails nntil the' latter rest on shelf 57, atwhichtimethe shuttle is at proper level for transfer. .The rails-descend. against. the action of spring and the friction =de.Vice,jandact as a shock absorber for the shuttle; permittingthe latterqto reach. correct position without rebounding. The :Weight of the-shuttle and the. effectofthe frictiondevice are suchsas to hold the: rails. down against -the :action of spring :16, cluringthe-transferring operation- The friction devicecmay under some settings:

thereof prevent-the spring 1.6 from returning the railsqto'their-(normal raised position after the weightiofatheshuttie is removed, and for this reason ,I prefer to use some means for resetting the platform. To effect this result I.,use a stop.- 81) shown in vFig, icomprising .a preferably resilient arm-the: upper; end ofzwhich is secured to: the :stand 18. andthe lower end of (which may 'hai'ieastop-padBl for engagement with the, de-

pending arm15 of thejplatform P. It will be: understood that when theplatform is down it. will be in the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 1 and arm15 willbe to the rear of its normal position-relatively to the lay. As the lay completes its-rearward movement on a..transferring beat the' pad" 8| will strike arm J5 and movethe latter in a clockwise direction around the stud or screw- Bil-, thereby lifting theplatform, and restoring the railstBBaand 66 totheir normal up positionwvhere they are heldwby th spring l6 and friction device. I It is'necessary todelay the resetting operation until there is no danger that the unmovement. ofthe platform rails-will disturb. theshuttle in.

transfer position; This delay is assured bymak- I ing the ra'ils 65 'and 66 short'enough so that their forward ends willbe located behinduthe' front wall 18 of lay end 58 "by a distance greater than the distance through'which padri8Jl moves that part of arm 15 which it engages. During rearward movement ofthe lay, therefore, the back Wall .of the. shuttle will have passed. to; a position infront-oflthe rails beforegthe padlll engages arm. .15,- andiwhen this last named engagementoccurs the rails will starttomove upwardly be.- hin and out of engagement withtheshuttle in transfer. l J

From the foregoing it will. be seen that .I have provided a simple form of shock absorbing plat-- formto support azshuttle passing from the magazineto the lay so constructedand mounted that it .lowers theishuttle gently. As a result of the downward movement of: the rails and .66 theshuttleiin transfer. comes quickly and, easily to transfer position with no unnecessary or time consuming vibration .or, rebounding. ,It will; also be seen that the platform is reset ata time in the cycle .of the. transferring operations after the shuttle :in .;transfer has-moved to such position.

that theorising rails 65 and. 6.6 will not disturb it. It .will furthermore be seen. that the. yielding platform common. to. both stacks R. .ancl.R"v

and that the resetting incidenttoi oneshuttle changing operation: occurs before -a second shuttle changing operation :can occur. While :Ihave shown the magazine in such position thatitsgrearstack will be over-box cell 35 when the lay is in rear position Lido not: wish necessarily to be limited to this construction. It isalso apparentthat my. invention is not necessarily .limited :to; those typesv of shuttle. changing looms involving multiple stacksof'reserve shuttles. Furthermore, the friction device shownin Fig. 3 can .be omitted. but. its use-tends. to prevent vibration of the platform relatively to the lay.

Having thus describedwmy invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be madetherein .by thoseiskilled in. theart Without departing from the'spirit and scope of the in-vention and Iv do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a shuttle changing loom having a stack of .reserve. shuttles which are delivered downwardly one by one preparatory to shuttle changing operations, a-lay reciprocating horirontally under said-stack, a shuttle box on the lay'below the stack to receive a shuttle from the stack during a shuttle. changing operation, and shock absorbingzmechanism mounted on the: lay for vertical movement relatively thereto and mov-' able backand forth therewith and resisting downward movement-of ashuttle delivered from the stack but overpowered by the shuttle and servingito position the shuttle for ashuttle changing operation-with respect to said shuttlebox.. V

2. In .a. shuttle. changing loom having a, stack of reserve shuttles which are delivered downwardly from the stack one by one incident-toshuttle'. changing operations, a lay under the stack, a shuttle boxon the lay, a normally raised shock absorbing platform under the stack, in

the path of a' shuttle descending from the stack,

and stop means on the lay to engage the platform when the latter'is in :low position, a shuttle dropping from said stack falling on the platform and moving the latter downwardly against said stop means and said platform thereby efiecting placement of the shuttle at the proper level for a shuttle changing operation with respect to said shuttle box."

3.'In a shuttle changing loom having a stack of reserve bobbins and release mechanism by which the shuttles are dropped from thEbOttOHl of the stack preparatory to transfer, a reciproeating lay having a shuttle box thereon to'receivc a'shuttle being transferred, a shuttle receiving platform movably'mounted on and reciprocating with the lay under. the stack, and yielding means normally-holding the platform-in raised position, a shuttle'when released from the stack falling on the platform and lowering the latter to a level for proper delivery of the shuttle into said shuttle box.

4. In a shuttle changing loom having astack of reserveshuttles which are delivered downwardly from the stack during shuttle changing operations, a lay reciprocating-back and forth under said stack, a shuttle box on the lay below said stack to receive a shuttle during a shuttle changing operation, a platform pivoted on the lay and extending rearwardly from said shuttle box and located under said stack, and yielding means holding said platform normally in raised position .but yieldable downwardly under the weight of'a shuttle delivered from said stack to place the shuttle in position for movement into said shuttle box. a

- In a shuttle changing loom. having a stack of reserve shuttles which are delivered downwardly'from the stack during shuttle changin operations, a lay reciprocating backand forth under said stack, a shuttle box on the lay below said stack to receive a shuttle during a shuttle changing operation, platform rails under said stack, means pivotally connecting said rails to the lay :for vertical movement relatively thereto, and yielding means resisting downward movement of the rails with respect to the lay and normally holding said rails in raised position with respect to the lay, a shuttle when released from the stack moving downwardly on said rails and overpowering said yielding means to cause the latter to move downwardly with respect to the lay and effect positioning of the shuttle for a shuttle changing operation with respect to the lay. 1

6. In a shuttle changing loom having a stack of reserve shuttles which are delivered down wardly from the stack one by one during shuttle changing operations; a' lay reciprocating back and forth under said stack, a shuttlebox on the lay below said stack to receive a shuttle during a shuttle changing operation, a vertically movable platform under the stack, resilient-means normally holding the platform in raised position with respect to the lay, and means to cause the platform to move backwardly and forwardly with the lay, a shuttle when released from said stack falling on the platform and overpowering-said resilient means and moving said platform down-I wardly against the action of said resilient means to. place the shuttle in position for a shuttle changing operation.

7. In a shuttle changing loom having a stack of reserve shuttles which are delivered downwardly from the stack one by one during shuttle changing operations, a lay reciprocating back and forth under said stack, ashuttle box on the lay below said stack to receive a' shuttledurin a shuttle changing operation, a vertically movable platform under the stack, friction means normally holding. the platform in raised position withgrespect to thelay, and means to cause the platform to move backwardly and forwardly with the lay, a shuttle when released from said stack falling on the platform :and overpowering" said friction means and moving said'platform downwardly against the action of said friction means to place the shuttle in positionfor a shuttle Qhanei e p 0-n- .1 e I r 1.

,8. :In aishuttle changinguloom having a stack of; reserve bobbinswhichlare released for downwardmovement therefrom one byone preparatory toshuttle changing operations, a lay r'ecipro= eating back and forth under the. stack, ashuttle box on the lay below thestackto receive a shuttle derived from thestack during a shuttle changing operation, a shock' absorber mechanism mounted; on thelay. for.vertical movement relatively thereto iand-normallyin raised position for engagement with a-shuttle released .from said stack and moved downwardlyby the shuttle to position the latter for-a shuttle changing operation, and means operative due-to movement of the lay to reset said shock absorber mechanism to the normal raised position thereof.

9. In a shuttle changing loomhaving a stack of reservebobbins which are released for downward movement therefrom one by one preparatory to shuttle changing operations, a lay reciprocating back and forth under the stack, a shuttle box on the lay below the stack to receive a shuttle derived from the stack during a shuttle changing operation, .a shock absorber -mechanism pivotally mountedon the lay for vertical movement relatively thereto and normally in raised position for engagement with a shuttle re-' leased from said stack and moved downwardly by the shuttle :to position the latter for a shuttle changing operation,and a substantially stationary member engaging the shock absorbing mech anism as the lay approaches the rearward position thereof to move-said-shock absorbing mechanism back to thenormal position thereof. v

10. In a shuttle changing loom having a stack of'reserVe bobbins which are' released for downward movement therefrom one by one preparatory to shuttle changing operations, a. lay reciprocating back and forth under the stack, a. shuttle box on the lay below the stack to receive a shuttle derived from the stack'during a shuttle changing operation,:a shock absorber mechanism mounted on the lay normally i'nzraised position for engagement with-a shuttle released from said stack and moved downwardlybythe shuttle to position the latter for a shuttle changing operation," a stop limiting rearward movement of a shuttle on the platform and causing the latter to move 'under the shuttle as the lay moves rear wardly and cause the shuttle to assume a position in front of said platform ata given point in-zthe rearward movement of the lay during a shuttle changing operationy'and means operative during the rearward movement of the laysubsequent to said point'to return the platform to the normal position thereof. i r v .s a;

11. In a shuttle changing loom'having a pair of stacks'of reserve bobbinszand'means to release shuttles from each stackfor downward movement incident to shuttle changing. operations, alay reciprocating back a'ndiforth underlsaidstacks, a

shuttle box on said: lay movable :by the latter ,to register w'ith the rear stack when the lay isin the rearmost position thereof, and a shock, absorbing shuttle receiving platform :mounted on the lay foridownward movement relatively thereto and normally in raised position to receive a shuttle released by either: stackand move downwardly with the shuttle due tothe weight of the latter to effect placement'of'the shuttle at the proper level for entry irito'the shuttle 'box incident to ashuttle changing operation;' 7 12. Inna shuttle changingz-loom'having a. -pair of stacks of reserve bobbins ;and 5means to release shuttles from eachstachfor downward movement incident to shuttle changing operations, a lay reciprocating backwardly and forwardly under said stacks, a shuttle box on said lay movable by the latter to register with the rear stack when the lay is in the rearmost position thereof, an abutment on the lay, a stop adjacent to the bottom of the rear stack, a shock absorbing platform extending under both stacks and normally in raised position to receive a shuttle derived from either stack, said abutment during the rearward movement of the lay cooperating with said stop to position a shuttle derived from either stack in proper position for downward movement into the shuttle box when the lay reaches the rearmost position thereof, said platform moving downwardly with the shuttle due to the Weight of the latter to place the shuttle at the proper level for a shuttle changing operation with respect to the shuttle box.

13. In a shuttle changing loom having a pair of stacks of reserve bobbins and means to release shuttles from each stack for downward movement incident to shuttle changing operations, a lay reciprocating backwardly and forwardly under said stacks, a shuttle box on said lay movable by the latter to register with one of said stacks when the lay is in the rearmost position thereof, a shock absorbing platform common to and located. under said stacks and normally in raised position and placed for engagement by a shuttle derived from either stack, a shuttle when falling from either stack engaging the platform and moving the latter downwardly, and stop means on the lay limiting downward movement of the platform and causing the latter to place a shuttle at the proper level for a transferring operation with respect to said shuttle box.

AUGUSTIN J. CI-IEVRE'ITE. 

